Who: Balthier, Thea, Aedan When: Current Where: At the beach resort What: Thea and Aedan complain about feeling abandoned and worried about Sherr. Balthier feeds them, chats about Desmond's potential crush, and suggests a nap followed by potential shopping. He can't fix them being worried, or making foolish choices, but he can be there for them. Rating/Warnings: Vague discussion of Desmond's scars, worries about Sherr Status: Complete
Balthier's texting the group chat, since that doesn't seem bad. "Some folks on late schedules or who haven't slept yet, there's pilaf - rice, fruit, nuts in the fridge, and about thirty shrimp. There's also about three fistfulls of grilled skewers. Separated between seafood, meat, veggie."
He can see it looks like there's some active conversation going on. Looks like Aedan and Thea?
“So, Desmond’s incredibly pissed” Aedan’s texting now. “Honestly, I’m not that shocked about it, but it’s not like he’s actually got much ground to stand on. Outranks me, sure, but honestly? If he wants to sit around doing nothing productive while we’re at least trying to fix the problem? He can complain all he wants. If you ask me, he needs to go blow off some steam”
“Is that why he suddenly looks like he’s wearing actual clothes that fit?” Thea’s popping back in, “Blowing off steam? Shaun’s not happy I told him the truth about not being anybody’s problem but my own again. Nothing I can’t live with when he doesn’t come back.”
“When he doesn’t come back with their non existent help. But hey, if that’s got Desmond out of the way...gives us room to keep trying.” Aedan sends back. “Probably can’t risk the kid, but really, I’m the only one with any status to freak out about. And I’m not. You two should be fine.”
“It’s not my top priority.” Thea’s sending back. “Trust me...crap this isn’t locked. Hey, Balthier.” Oh well, it’s not like it’s a secret anymore anyway. “We might or might not end up over at some point.”
"I can say I didn't see it but -" Balthier hesitates. "I care about both of you. Want some hot tea? I can put the kettle on."
“Everyone we’ve referenced does already know the sentiment.” Aedan supplies. “And tea? Would help. Might or might not have spent the better part of the night getting rained on.”
"I'll throw some blankets and some sweatshirts in the dryer." Balthier heads to do that, still carrying his phone. Admittedly, it'll be Basch sized, but it's not like Aedan or Thea will stretch it out.
“Sounds like a plan.” Thea sends back. “Give us a couple minutes to...Okay that’s weird. Did anybody else know Desmond owned normal pants? He just wandered by, looking like he’s off to..decompress, I guess. Apparently yelling at Aedan makes you need a lot of that.”
And that’s actually hilarious, even given the context of the moment. Aedan’s lips are twitching when he arrives at Balthier’s a little later, Thea not that far behind.
Balthier hands them sweatshirts. "Come here and warm up a bit." There's mugs of broth, and some warmed up rice and skewers laid out. "So, what's going on with Desmond?"
“That’s probably my department.” Aedan’s accepting the sweatshirt and tugging it on. “He’s not exactly happy we let the seventeen year old come on an illicit rescue mission. Which I’d get if we were getting close to anything, or if any of them had bothered. Pretty sure he’s gone off to get over it. Somehow, somewhere.”
“You think he had some kind of date?” Thea looks amused at the prospect. “He definitely wasn’t sticking around, which works for me.”
Balthier tucks a blanket over Thea's shoulders. "Let's eat. So you guys were trying to find Sherr? And you didn't think people would care?" He's sliding in to join them. In his experience, it's easier for Aedan if you're eating without filling his plate for him, so - let him try things.
“Oh they’ve made that pretty clear, actually.” Aedan says. “We had contact, and got some vague coordinates but no one else was doing anything productive, so we did some scouting. Shaun’s not happy either, I guess, but somebody had to do something about things, so…” He shrugs. “I see the Emmett point, but not the rest. It’ll blow over, though.”
"And I guess folks did impulsive stuff looking for you. So -" Balthier eyes Aedan. "Want me to change the subject? Because I'm worried about both of you."
“Something like that.” Aedan shrugs. “We didn’t GET anywhere, but better than the nothing everyone else is putting in. But that’s probably a good idea. How’s things been lately on your end?”
"I'm a bit confused why my family is so thrilled that we got engaged, to be honest." Balthier smiles. "Miss Yvette seems to be really high energy. Not as a bad thing, just - I think she's not used to having to rest on her leg like this. Cathal seemed a bit - anxious? Grim? I don't know what's going on."
“Oh THAT’s a story.” Aedan says. “The Cath thing. Marc’s been...somewhere for a while now. Several months. Shay said he hadn’t seen Cathal in the flesh for almost as long as that so one of the first times he’s been out since that happened. Poor guy.” He winces.
“And yeah, definitely with her.” Thea nods. “Hopefully, it shouldn’t be too bad for TOO long, right? How long DO those things last when they’re not the kind that you need to put a cast on anyway? A couple months?”
"I'm not sure," Balthier admits. "Months sounds sensible to me for a time frame. She was chatting about me where I got my vests. I think her local fashion is a bit older, like mine."
“Well, between everyone we’ve got, she’ll probably be able to find something that works from some of our sources too.” Aedan looks thoughtful. “Speaking of stuff like that, like I was saying, when we headed out...Desmond was wearing actual trousers. I didn’t know he OWNED any.”
"You think he's trying to be more formal with someone new aro -" Balthier trails off watching them. "A crush, you think?"
“I mean, possibly.” Thea’s leaning forward a little. “He’s been a little weird lately. Starring at his profile when he doesn’t think people are looking. And he borrowed my concealer the other day to try out on his scar. It was way too light, so we ordered some, but obviously he’s worried about that.”
"She didn't ring any alarm bells for me. Admittedly, I'm probably weird for that, what with the Archadian cultural norms and all." Balthier's sipping his mug and leaning in as well. "But she seemed to hit it off with Steve and them, and I think she was offering to go swimming with Clint tomorrow and whoever else would be around. Emmett was hanging around some of the day and she was sewing undershirt stuff. I talked a bit about reproduction undies and some books the school uses for sewing up stuff for costume purposes."
“She seems nice.” Thea nods. “Definitely no alarm bells as far as I’m concerned, and my instincts...they’re pretty good.” That’s putting it kind of mildly now. They weren’t always, but, well…
“It’d make sense if he did find someone.” She looks thoughtful. “I mean, sure, there’s the whole Bleeding issue to contend with, which I bet he hasn’t mentioned, but she’ll figure that out the first time she meets Altair or Connor. Or finds a couple Ezios having a...conversation.”
"You guys talk with Ezio, right?" Balthier trails off. "Cath really struck me as depressed and - uncertain. Scared or something. Tony's not that. I'd chalk him more up as anxious, but I think he's a bit amazed that people want him around. Probably how he's - assuming how he comes off. How does the Bleeding thing go? I mean, is it important she knows about it yet?"
“Not really?” Thea says, about the Ezio thing. “He’s...Ezio. You don’t exactly TALK to him. Bayek, sure, but that’s different.” Bayek IS the one that found her, so it’s easier there to think about it.
“He doesn’t do crowds at all well either.” Aedan says. “He’s pretty okay on his own. He did security for me, a while ago. I might have given him a little of a run for his money, but he gave about as good as he got back. I think this not quite break up thing has him thrown for a loop, but it’s worth bringing up. And sometimes Desmond thinks he’s his relatives. Like literal personality transplanted. The 4th of July is always fun. Grandmaster Kenway ends up stabbed by Connor when...I don’t get the specifics but being strapped into the animus messed with his brain function and ability to….” He breaks off, wincing a little.
Thea’s catching that wince and nodding, biting her lip for half a second, then covering that up a little. “Wonder what WE’RE getting back. I should start a pool. Fifty bucks says there’s something Victorian in there.Maybe closer to Edwardian.”
“Shakespearean.” Aedan supplies, glad for the actual distraction of having to think about Sherr’s mind all that seriously. “But no, with bleeding he just thinks he’s other people for a while, tries to sleep with them if it’s Ezio...I’m not sure what Altair actually does except sit around being a killjoy, but…”
"But he probably is thinking about it. I could mention that someone said he might have a crush." Balthier shrugs a little. "I'm fine with sounding silly, and pushing him to talk to people."
“Better than the second grade technique of giggling over it behind our hands, sure.” Thea nods. “Might not be a bad plan.”
Balthier laughs. "I was thinking of hitting up Tony's store for books. Would you two be willing to come along on that? Or into town?"
“I’m in.” Thea could use the distraction, frankly.
“Why not?” Aedan looks thoughtful. “I could always go for getting out of here.”
"Nap first?" Balthier's stretching his back and moving to clean up a little. "There's hammocks. We could get a horde of people, have a nap, and then head out?"